For Muslims, Ramadan is holy season marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence. Ramadan, in the Islamic calendar is a month-long observance, falling roughly in the western calendar month of July and August. In 2013, Ramadan runs from July 9 to August 7. Here are free printable activities to help children explore this most holy season in Islam.

Ramadan comes from the Arabic term for intense heat and parched earth. It refers to a spiritual experience as well as the climate conditions in the month. The Five Pillars of Islam are Belief, Worship, Fasting, Almsgiving and Pilgrimage. Like Advent before Christmas and Lent before Easter in the Catholic Christian faith, Ramadan is a penitential season of sacrifice. Like Yom Kippur in the Jewish faith, Ramadan is a season for cleansing, atonement and purification. Free Printable Ramadan and Islamic Activities